The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-04-28
MY SENORITA.


One bright spring morning i'll 1S7-,
when the diligencia rolled out of Tobo-
SO. found myself the only passenger.
had ride of forty miles before me
10 the City of Mexico. and the prospect
Of making the trip alone did not suit
me. The driver Of the dilligencia. one
Gil Perez, had yiIlanous face. a face
sue restiye Of treason. strategems, and
spoils. and every time it was turned in
nv direction instinctively felt under
the seat to see if my yalise vas still
there.
NV yalise was fully worthy Of this at
tention on my part. 1t contained &c.
900 in gold, the result Of my collecting
trip to Toboso. undertaken in the in
terest of a wealthy American client at
the Capital.
The interior of the vehicle was capa-
BILE OF accommodating six or eight per-
.ons, and longed for fellow-passen-
ger.
We had not left the outskirts Of the
town fairly behind rs, when the lum-
bcring old coach was brought to
sudden standstill, the four horses
throwing themselves into line across
the road. with the evident intention OF
taking to the woods.
"Carrajo.'' howled Gil Perez from
his lofty perch rs he gave his whip
vicious crack. Thou devil of a
Sancho. will cut out thy heart and
liver: and as for thee, Perdita, l will
fay thee aliye:'
laughed. When the driver talked
in this fashion to his beasts he was in
4 good humor. His lusty oaths and
frightful threats counted for nothing
The cause of our halt was soon eN-
planned. Two young women had
signalcd Gil Perez to stop. One Of
them was immediately bundled into the
vehicle by her companion and the
driver. II seemed TO me that some
bird of the tropics. with an oyerpow-
ering glitter of gorgeous plnmage, had
.wooped down upon me, and l
naturally looked out of the window
until could think of something TO say.
1t struck me that the new passen-
gers maid. for such the young woman
outside appeared to be. was very
picturesque affair. She had rich
complexion, with fine black eyes. and
her hair. arranged in a long, glossy
plat hung down nearly TO her heels.
Her head, neck, and shoulders We're
perfectly bare. and her only garments
were loose-iitting white cotton tunic
and petticoat OF red and blue reach
ing to her knees. She gave me 4 saucy
look, and kissed her hand to her
mistress, keeping up 4 lively chatter
all the time.
After the driver had slowed away
the light baggage Of the senorita, as he
called her, and parting adios had
been exchanged between the lady and
the airy-looking young woman who
was to be left behind, the diligcncia
started, and was soon rumbling on its
way.
Under the circumstances it was inn
possible for me to 60 on looking at the
landscape forever. 1t was clearly my
duty to make myself agreeable TO the
senorita.
The task did not appear ut all un.
pleasant to me after had furtively sur
yeyed the situation out Of the tail of my
eye. II an excuse for opening a con.
yersation had been lacking, Gil Perez
was polite enough to supply it.
..Thc senior will be delighted to
know" he said. with flourish. '.thal
the scnorita will honor US with hel
compan, all the wa: to the city"
managed in rather crippled Spanish
to express my almost delirious pleasure,
and wound up by saying that l had
been in state of utter gloom and
despair over my solitary journey.
To my surprise the senorita replied
in excellent English. and said that she
was overjoyed to have an American fol
fcllow-traveler
II like the Americans" she said,
'they are. wha. do you call i!o Nice.
| think, is the word. Yes, they are SC
nice"
Talks like one of our boarding.
school misses" said to myself, and
then made some suitable reply.
There was no question about it.
The senorita was pretty. Tall as a
daughter of the gods, with midnight
hair and eyes, harmonizing well with
her brunei complexion, she was what
called, impressed as / was by her cos
tune. a blazing beauty. She was not
dressed for travelling, but perhaps she
considered ride of forty miles mere
trihe. She was attired after the fash
ion of the Senoritas had seen promen-
aiding in the parks at the Capital. Her
hair was studded with flashing gems,
and her dress was of some diaphanous
material that seemed to CLEAN and
simmer with the prismatic hues of the
rainbow. She wore the inevitable black
lace mantilla which ladies are seldom
seen without in Spanish-American
countries but if it was not intended to
effectually conceal her snowy shoulders
it was lamentable failure as dis
guise; as much SO as the V-shaped bo-
dice which was so literally cut that l
found myself softly quoting:
On her white breast a sparkling cross
she wore,
Which Jews might kiss and infides adore
My fair companion was not long in
telling me that the was returning from
brief visit to sick relative. Beyond
that she had little to reveal about her.
self. But she did not scruple to ask
any number of questions. Did I like
Mexico? Was travelling for business
or pleasure? What did l think of the
Mexican ladies?
l answered all these questions, as
lazily and complacently watched the
tluttcring fan with which this beautiful
.r,,t,,.a c,naaral %o do Of loa Ct half ~